Machine for setting up bottle cartons



April 1958 H. G. GENTRY 2,831,681

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MACHINE FOR SETTING UP BOTTLE CARTONS Original Filed Aug. 11, 1953 18Sheets-Sheet 9 ITTOR/VEYS MACHINE FOR SETTING UP BOTTLE CARTONS OriginalFiled Aug. 11, 1953 18 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTOR. flflPMMD q. GENTRYApril 22, 1958 H. G. GENTRY MACHINE FOR SETTING up BOTTLE CARTONS l8Sheets-Sheet 11 Original Filed Aug. 11, 1953 INVENTOR.

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April 22, 1958 H. cs. GENTRY MACHINE FOR SETTING UP BOTTLE CARTONSOriginal Filed Aug. 11, 1953 18 Sheets-Sheet l6 INVENTOR. IVEIPMND 6.GEIYTRY April 22, 1958 H. G. GENTRY MACHINE FOR SETTING UPBOTTLE-CARTONS Original Filed Aug. 11, 1953 18 Sheets-Sheet l7 INVENTOR.l/EAMMD 6. GENT? ATTOIPNEYS April 22, 1958 GENTRY 2,831,681

MACHINE FOR SETTING UP BOTTLE CARTONS Original Filed Aug. 11, 1953 18Sheets-Sheet l8 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,831,681 MACHINE FORSETTING UP BOTTLE CARTONS Hermond G. Gentry, Atlanta, Ga., assignor, bymesne assignments, to Mead-Atlanta Paper Company, a corporation of OhioOriginal application August 11, 1953, Serial No. 373,476, now Patent No.2,780,970, dated February 12, 1957. Divided and this application July13, 1956, Serial No. 597,711

2 Claims. (Cl. 271-61) This invention relates in general to carton setup machines, and more particularly to a machine by which collapsiblebottle cartons of the type used for carrying bottled soft drinks and thelike may be set up automatically in an exceptionally effective and rapidmanner to prepare them for loading with bottles.

The machine of the present invention is adapted to hold an unusuallylarge stacked supply of the collapsed bottle cartons to be set up, tofeed the bottle cartons successively from this stacked supply to aset-up station, and to erect the bottle cartons at this set-up stationwith a disposition such that the next succeeding collapsed bottle cartonfed to the set-up station acts to discharge the bottle carton previouslyset up. In addition, the machine is arranged so that the variousoperating elements thereof are actuated from a common driving shaft; andis provided with control means by which intermittent or continuousoperation may be obtained selectively, as desired, and by which improperfeeding action is detected to stop the setting up operation until normalfeeding is reestablished.

These and other features of the present invention are described infurther detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of a bottle carton set-up machineembodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear side elevation as seen from the left inFig. 1, with the cover panels removed and with only the basic actuatingmeans shown arranged in place;

Fig. 3 is-a fragmentary left end elevation corresponding to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation opposite to that shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional plan view taken substantially on theline 5-5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a collapsed bottle carton such as may beset up by the machine of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the bottle carton shown in Fig. 6 aftererection;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the erect bottle carton shown inFig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the hopper structure from the open face sidethereof;

Fig. 10 is a sectional detail in plan taken substantially at the line10-10 in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a further sectional detail in plan taken substantially at theline 11-11 in Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a further fragmentary side elevation taken from the sameviewpoint as Fig. 4, but shown in section and with only the actuatinglinkages for the feed means illustrated;

Fig. 13 is a plan view corresponding generally to Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a separated detail corresponding generally to Fig. 12, butillustrating only the actuating linkage for driving the hopper pusherfingers;

Fig. 15 is a further separated detail also corresponding generally toFig. 12, but illustrating only the actuating connections 40 and 42.

linkage for driving the positioning finger that finally ad vances thecollapsed bottle cartons in position for setting p;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation showing the supporting structure of thecarton set-up means;

Fig. 17 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 1717 inFig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a generally corresponding fragmentary front face detailshowing the arrangement of the set-up section system and controltherefor;

Fig. 19 is a further fragmentary detail, taken from a view pointopposite that of Fig. 17, and showing the mechanical actuating linkagefor the set-up means;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary side elevation taken from the same view pointas Fig. 4, but illustrating only the early stage of the bottle cartonset-up operation;

Fig. 21 is a similar fragmentary side elevation illustrating the bottlecarton end and bottom lock actuating means, and showing the final stageof the set-up operation;

Fig. 22 is a plan detail of the bottle carton end lock lever takensubstantially from the position 22-22 in Fig. 21;

Fig. 2 3 is a side elevation detail of the bottle carton bottom locklever taken substantially from the position 2323 in Fig. 21;

Fig. 24 is a further similar fragmentary side elevation illustrating themanner in which the erected bottle cartons are pushed clear of theset-up position by thesucceeding collapsed bottle carton;

Fig. 25 is a schematic electrical diagram illustrated in relation to astill further similar fragmentary side elevation, and showing part ofthe operating control system fo the machine of the present invention;and

Fig. 26 is a schematic electrical diagram showing thetaining a supply ofcollapsed bottle cartons 50 to be setup; feed means at 200 for advancingthe collapsed bottle cartons 50 serially from the hopper for setting up;

and a set-up mechanism at 300 for manipulating the collapsed cartons 50so that they are delivered from the machine in erect position as shownat 50' in Fig. 1.

The frame structure 10, as seen in Fig. 1, is suitably fitted with sideclosure panels 12, and may be mounted on casters 14 to render the mac'ne of the present invention mobile and thereby easily moved andpositioned to the best advantage in relation to other equipment oroperating stations at which it is to be used.

The arrangement of the frame structure 10 and operating elementssupported thereon is further illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5, in which amain drive motor 16 and associated gear reducer 18 are shown mountedadjacent the base of the frame structure 10, the gear reducer 18 beingfixed in place and the drive motor 16 being slidable in guide ways 20from a lead screw adjusting hand wheel 22 by which the drive connection24 from the motor pulley 26 to the gear reducer sheave 28 may be kepttight.

The sheave 28 is coupled to the input shaft of gear reducer 18 throughan electric clutch as indicated at 30,

which maybe of the type disclosed in U. S. Patent No.

2,606,638, for example, and which allows the drive motor First andsecond drive sprockets 32 and 34 are arranged I at the gear reducer 18for driving a countershaft 36 and.

a main cross shaft 38, respectively, through sprocket chain The firstdrive sprocket 32 is coupled by the electric clutch 30 for drivingdirectly from 3 the, gear reducer input sheave28, while the second drivesprocket 34 is, mounted on the output shaft of the gear reducer 18.

Upwardly of the frame structure an auxiliary drive motor 4.4;is mountedtogether with a vacuum pump 46 that is coupled thereto. This motor 44and vacuum pump 46, and the main drive motor 16 and related driveconnections described cQmprise the means by which operation of thebottle carton set up machine of the present invention is actuated.

The form of bottle carton 50 set up by the machine of the presentinvention is shown in Figs. 6 to S, as being ofthe paperboard typecommonly employed for carrying bottles, and which is collapsible to aflat condition for shipping or storing when not in use, but which may befolded to an erect condition (as-at 50) for filling with bottles to becarried. For this purpose, the bottle carton 50 is suitably formed witha central partition and handle portionSZ, having a hand hold aperture 54therein; opposed pairs of end wall panels 56and 58 foldably joined ateach end of the handle portion 52; opposed side wall panels 60 and 62foldably joined between the outer edges of the end wall panel pairs 56and 58; intermediate transverse partition panels 64 and 66 foldablyjoined to and extending respectively between the handle portion 52, andthe opposed side wall panels 60 and 62 to form bottle compartments ateach side of the handle portion 52; and a medially foldable bottom wallpanel 68 foldably joined and extending between the lower edges of theside wall panels 60 and 62 to support a'bottle load in the carton 50,the central partition and handle portion 52 being formed atits loweredge with a bottom wall locking notch 70 for engaging an end of thebottom wall panel 6 so thatthe carton 50 is locked in erect position(see Fig. 8).

The details of the hopper structure 100, in which the collapsed bottlecartons 50 are placed for feeding to be set up by the machine of thepresent invention, are shown in Figs. 9 to ll. As shown, the hopper 100is arranged with vertically disposed side plates 102 and 104, and afront plate 106, which serve to support laterally and guide downwardly astack of collapsed bottle cartons 50 placed therein. These vertical sideplates 102 and 104, and the front plate 106, are mounted on a bottomtable plate 108 that is secured to the frame structure 10 at front andrear mounting blocks 110and 110, and that has right and left slideplates 112v and 114, and a front slide plate 116, arranged on the topface thereof in relation to a central opening at min the bottomplate 108for a purpose that will be explainedpresently in describing thearrangement and operation of the feed means 200.

To support thefront side plate 106, uprights 120'are secured on thebottom plate 108 by brackets 122, and have cross bars 124 extendingtherebetween to which the front plate 106 is fastened as at 126,-.withthe bottom edge thereof spaced above the front slide plate 116 properlyto provide a feed opening for one collapsed bottle carton 50 from thebottom of a stack thereof in the hopper 100. The side plates 102, and104 are supported from hold down bars 128 and 130, which are arrangedfor lateral adjustment at any one of several laterally spaced securingpositions on the bottom plate 108 for different sizes of bottle-cartons50, and by a series of spacing bars 132 extending between assembly bars134 and 136 secured to the outside faces of the. side plates 102 and104. The spacing bars 132 are attached in fixed relation to the rightside plate assen'ibly bars 134 but have elongated slots as at138 forlateral adjustment with respect to-theleft' side plate, assemblybars13.6, in arranging the lateral spacing of the side plates1102 and 104for different size bottle cartons 50 asfpreyiously mentioned. p

The hopper structure 100 comprising the foregoing elements is disposeduprightly on the frame structure 10 in an extent sufficient to allowstacking therein .of an exceptional operating supply of the bottlecartons (e. g., 250, which is the normal shipping case quantity of thecollapsed bottle cartons 50), and this unusually large capacity of thehopper raises several operating problems. First, the weight of a fullstack of bottle cartons 50 in the hopper 100 is substantial so thatditficulty is encountered in providing for stripping or feeding thecartons 50 serially from the bottom of the stack with uniform case.Also, the collapsed bottle cartons 50 are thinner at their bottom wall68 than throughout the rest of their structure so that they do not forma stable stack of any size. In "addition, the bottle cartons 50, beingformed of paperboard, become bent or warped rather easily, which oftenmakes it difiicult to maintain them in alignment with a feed opening.

Provision is made according to the present invention for eliminatingeach of these difiiculties. To counteract the excessive weight of astack of the bottle cartons 50 in the hopper 100, the hopper side plates102. and 104 are fitted in alternately spaced relation with step bars.

140 and are spaced at a distance greater than the width of the bottlecartonsby an extent at least equal to' the inwardly extending portionsof stepped bars 140 (see Figs. 9 and 10) that cause the stack of bottlecartons 50 to feed downwardly in a zig-zag fashion, with the result thatthe weight of the bottle carton stack is largely supported by these stepbars 140, leaving a bottom group of bottle cartons 50 in the stackunhampered by this weight in feeding from the hopper 100.

Also, the step bars. 140" tend to maintain the bottle cartons 50 levelin the unstable stack within the hopper 100,, and to provide furthermeans formanaging this unstable bottle carton stack, the hopper 100 isalso pro vided with a rear guide rod- 142 positioned adjacent the rearedge of left side plate 104 by upper and lower clamp bars 144 and 146adjustably secured, respectively, on a bracket bar 148 near the upperendot side plate 104 and on the left slide plate 114st the top face ofbottom plate 108. By virtue of this arrangement, the guide rod 142 isdisposable just inside of alignment with the left side plate 104(compare Figs. 9, 10 and 11) to stand behind the adjacent rear cornerportion ofthe stacked bottle cartons 50, and thereby prevent anypossibility of the stack tipping outwardly through the open face of-thehopper 100, while still allowing the bottle cartons 50 to be easilystacked therein.

At therbottorn of the hopper 100, a'rear guide bracket 150 extendsupwardly (compare Figs. 11, 12 .andl3) in opposed relation to the frontplate 106, so that the bottle cartons 50 are guided forwardly andpositively positioned in relation to the front plate 106-as they reachthe bottom of hopper 100. This rear guide bracket 150 is mounted on acentral support bar 152, which together with right and left support bars154 and 156, extend forwardly and downwardly from a cross elevation bar158 fixed on topof the right and left slide plates 112 and 114 adjacentthe rear edge of bottom plate 108, so that the bottle car-tons 50 areelevated at the rear of the hopper 100 in a manner that directs theforward carton edges at the feed opening below the front hopper plate106 despite any warping or bending that might be present in the bottlecartons 50 being fed.

The arrangement and manner of operation of the feed means 200'by whichthe stacked bottle cartons 50 are fed from the hopper 100 andadvancedfor setting up is illustrated in Figs. 12 to 15. To strip the bottlecartons 50 serially from the bottom If-hopper 100, a pair of pusherfingers202arearranged in spaced relation between the carton support bars152, 154 and 156 at the bottom of hopper 100. These pusher fingers 202are-mounted on spring arms 204 that bias them upwardly above the supportbars152, 154, and 156 to engage the rear edge ofthe bottom bottle carton50 for each feeding stroke.

The spring arms 204 are in turn secured to-a sliding cross" bar206, thatis disposedwithin the. central opening 118 'of

